Principles
The principles:
- All Victorians should live in a safe and equal society, have access to equal power, resources and opportunities and be treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
- Gender equality benefits all Victorians regardless of gender.
- Gender equality is a human right and precondition to social justice.
- Gender equality brings significant economic, social and health benefits for Victoria.
- Gender equality is a precondition for the prevention of family violence and other forms of violence against women and girls.
- Advancing gender equality is a shared responsibility across the Victorian community.
- All human beings, regardless of gender, should be free to develop their personal abilities, pursue their professional careers and make choices about their lives without being limited by gender stereotypes, gender roles or prejudices.
- Gender inequality may be compounded by other forms of disadvantage or discrimination that a person may experience on the basis of Aboriginality, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and other attributes.
- Women have historically experienced discrimination and disadvantage on the basis of sex and gender.
- Special measures may be necessary to achieve gender equality.
Priority issues
The audit results and staff consultations revealed priority issues.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Up to 18% of people may experience compounded effects of intersectionality
Career support
- People do not always feel that recruitment and promotion is merit-based
- 45% of women do not feel they have an equal chance of promotion
- Women do not feel as supported as men to learn and develop
- There is no use of part-time work above VPS 6 level
Equal pay for equal work
- The Commission has an overall pay gap of 11.6% (excluding the Commissioner)
- There are more men than women in VPS 6 managerial roles
- There are half as many men at VPS 3, 4 and 5 levels than there are women
The strategies in our Gender Equality Action Plan were selected to drive change on priority issues. Change is further supported by whole of government workforce strategies Getting to Work, Barring Djinang, and the Mental Health and Wellbeing charter.
Our vision
Our vision connects what we give with what we get.
A gender diverse workplace where we value respect, give support and pay equal, so all succeed.
We aim to achieve it within 2 years, halfway through this 4-year action plan.